“The Effect of Expanded versus Massed Practice on the Retention of Multiplication Facts and Spelling Lists”, 1985 (; backlinks):
Distributed practice typically leads to better retention than massed practice. Recent research has shown that distributed practice with intertest intervals of an expanding nature is optimal.
In the experiment reported here we used a test series with expanded intervals to teach multiplication facts and spelling lists to 44 grade 3 students. The hypothesis was that material learned with such a series would be retained better than if presented in a massed series.
The results showed that, for multiplication facts, retention in the expanded series condition was almost twice that in the massed series condition. For spelling lists, a statistically-significant difference in the same direction was also obtained. These differences were obtained regardless of the level of ability of the students. An important point is that an expanded test series not only engenders effective retention, but also maintains a feeling of success throughout.
This should be a prime consideration in teaching young children basic facts that they are sometimes reluctant to tackle. The use of this type of series would therefore have obvious benefit if incorporated into remedial programs or used in learning centres.
To test the hypothesis that expanded practice is superior to massed practice in a classroom situation, a test series with expanded intervals to teach multiplication facts and spelling lists to 44 Grade 3 students, formed into massed and expanded groups based on their spelling and mathematical abilities, was conducted.
Results show that, for multiplication facts, retention in the expanded series condition was almost twice that in the massed series condition; for spelling lists, a statistically-significant difference in the same direction was also obtained. These differences were obtained regardless of the level of ability of the Subjects.
It is suggested that an expanded test series not only engenders effective retention but also maintains a feeling of success throughout and that use of this type of series would therefore have obvious benefit if incorporated into remedial programs or used in learning centers.